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Vitamins and Deficiency Diseases
A compact, tabular revision of vitamins, their chemical names and sources, the deficiency diseases they cause, plus minerals and hormone-related disorders, for CAPF Paper I General Science
CAPF wiki•3 min read•6 sections
At a glance
SubjectGeneral Science
RevisionGeneral ScienceVitaminsNutritionBiologyPaper 1
One screen per section. Cover the right column and test yourself. CAPF Paper I tests the vitamin to chemical name to deficiency disease chain, plus a few minerals and endocrine disorders. The figures and associations below are standard textbook facts.
| Property |
Fat-soluble (A, D, E, K) |
Water-soluble (B-complex, C) |
| Storage in body |
Stored in liver and fatty tissue |
Not stored (except B12); excreted in urine |
| Need in diet |
Less frequent |
Daily intake needed |
| Toxicity risk |
Can accumulate to toxic levels |
Excess usually excreted |
| Vitamin |
Chemical name |
Rich source |
Deficiency disease |
| A |
Retinol |
Carrots, green leafy vegetables, liver |
Night blindness; xerophthalmia |
| B1 |
Thiamine |
Whole grains, pulses |
Beriberi |
| B2 |
Riboflavin |
Milk, eggs, green vegetables |
Cheilosis, cracked lips, glossitis |
| B3 |
Niacin |
Meat, groundnut, cereals |
Pellagra |
| B5 |
Pantothenic acid |
Meat, whole grains |
Burning feet syndrome |
| B6 |
Pyridoxine |
Fish, banana, potatoes |
Anaemia, dermatitis |
| B7 |
Biotin |
Egg yolk, liver |
Dermatitis, hair loss |
| B9 |
Folic acid |
Leafy greens, citrus |
Anaemia; neural tube defects in foetus |
| B12 |
Cyanocobalamin |
Meat, fish, dairy |
Pernicious anaemia |
| C |
Ascorbic acid |
Citrus fruits, amla, guava |
Scurvy (bleeding gums) |
| D |
Calciferol |
Sunlight, fish oil, egg yolk |
Rickets (children); osteomalacia (adults) |
| E |
Tocopherol |
Vegetable oils, nuts |
Sterility (in animals), red cell fragility |
| K |
Phylloquinone |
Green leafy vegetables |
Excessive bleeding (poor clotting) |
| Fact |
Detail |
| Vitamin from sunlight |
Vitamin D (synthesised in skin via ultraviolet) |
| Vitamin for blood clotting |
Vitamin K |
| Vitamin that an excess of water cannot wash out (stored) |
Vitamin B12 |
| Vitamin not found in animal foods normally |
Vitamin C is abundant in fruits, scarce in meat |
| Antioxidant vitamins |
A, C and E |
| Vitamin made by gut bacteria |
Vitamin K and some B vitamins |
| Mineral |
Function |
Deficiency effect |
| Iron |
Haemoglobin formation |
Anaemia |
| Iodine |
Thyroid hormone synthesis |
Goitre; cretinism in children |
| Calcium |
Bones, teeth, clotting |
Weak bones, poor clotting |
| Phosphorus |
Bones, energy molecules |
Bone and dental problems |
| Sodium and potassium |
Nerve and muscle function, fluid balance |
Cramps, weakness, irregular heartbeat |
| Fluorine |
Tooth enamel |
Dental caries (deficiency); fluorosis (excess) |
| Zinc |
Enzymes, immunity, growth |
Poor growth, impaired healing |
| Disorder |
Cause |
| Diabetes mellitus |
Insufficient insulin (pancreas) |
| Goitre |
Iodine deficiency affecting the thyroid |
| Cretinism |
Thyroid hormone deficiency in children |
| Dwarfism / Gigantism |
Deficiency / excess of growth hormone |
| Diabetes insipidus |
Deficiency of antidiuretic hormone (ADH) |